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Abbas Rejected Olmert’s Idea of Partial Peace Agreement |
2 September 2008By Selen Tonkuş
The last round of the US-backed peace negotiations between Israel Prime Minister Olmert and PNA President Abbas was arranged in Jerusalem on 31 August 2008, Sunday.
The meeting was the first since Olmert announced that he would resign and the last one before he leaves the office. Consequently, Israeli and Palestinian officials on Sunday tried to reach any immediate peace agreement.
Olmert entered the meeting in an afflicted position due to his decision for resignation, generated from series of corruption cases. Abbas was not in a strong political position, as well, as being the head of the Fatah, which lost the control of Gaza to Hamas last year.
Before the summit, Israeli Daily Newspaper Ha'aretz reported that Olmert aimed to convince Abbas to accept an agreement of principles as a framework for a two-state solution. Olmert's Proposal was mainly said to be a five-year timetable to complete a settlement on the final status of Jerusalem under an international supervision. In response, the Palestinian chief negotiator denied related media reports, declaring that what they need was a comprehensive peace agreement which include the resolutions for East Jerusalem, settlements, the restrictions imposed on Gaza Strip crossings, the refugees, prisoners and other basic questions, rather than
a partial one.
According to Associated Press, both sides share the view that there are considerable gaps among, which cause not to expect a resolution of all the issues on the table in the next a few weeks.
Israelis and Palestinians are engaged in peace talks since Camp David Accords (1978) but frequent meetings since then have made little progress on the core issues.
After the meeting, Palestinian officials said they opposed any plan for an international mechanism to deal with Jerusalem.
On the fate of Palestinian refugees, Palestinian officials insist that they should have the right to return home, whereas Israel thinks the right of return is incompatible with the two-state solution.
With regard to the settlements; the Palestinians believe that Israel aims to take up West Bank. However Israel counters that it is building inside settlement blocs that it plans to keep in a final peace accord, instead of building new settlements.
Finally on the Prisoners issue; Abbas keeps his decisiveness that there would be no peace without the release of all the over 11,000 prisoners, evaluating the return of some 200 prisoners last week, as inadequate. However Abbas could not get a promise for any future releases.
At this last meeting neither side pointed to progress, however the most apparent outcome was the agreement of the two sides to reach a peace deal within 2008.U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice also admitted the ongoing chance for peace within this year, at her last visit to the region.
Selen Tonkuş, JTW
September 2, 2008 |
2 September 2008
Israel-Palestine
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